


Trust is no pasta, can't cook fast and be done

by onefootintheboilinghotlava



Series: WW x Peggy Carter [2]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), Wonder Woman (2017)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, i have no idea what to tag this, two bamf!girls being friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-14 14:45:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11785341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onefootintheboilinghotlava/pseuds/onefootintheboilinghotlava





	Trust is no pasta, can't cook fast and be done

After Peggy had left a few days ago, Diana had read through all the news report and rang Etta asking about what she knew about a ‘Captain America’ on the other frontline during the war. Though Etta couldn’t get a lot of official information, Captain America was big enough a deal to pop up on newspaper and radio-shows for Etta to give her an overview. It was enough to prove Peggy’s words and a good kickstart for her to getting to understand how Men’s world work. Projects, hierarchy and oppression so much rooted in systems and culture. She read through all the files that Steve stored at his place and snuck into the parliament to read documents at nights. She had always been a fast learner and a quick reader, maybe not as thorough but grasping the concrete concept was more than enough for the task at hands. It helped, it gave her something to anchor herself with. After hours of reading and sneaking into places, she could sleep soundly at night without much nightmares haunting her (though they weren’t completely avoidable, since she was still a being of Greek mythology, there was no escaping from dreams).

Knowing all the dead would eventually reach before Hades should ease her mind, just like losing Antiope thatday on the beach, but it did not. When she laid alone on Steve’s bed, she kept thinking would Hades judge him harsher for not believing in his myths. She could not know for sure. Still, at lease she was grateful for whoever sent her dreams sometimes (be it Iris or Apollo, she did not know, since no gods aside from Ares had she really seen or known for sure where they would be), because sometimes it would be a replay of her time with Steve. She should feel sad about seeing it all before her eyes once more but she was just glad to be granted another chance to seal his smiles, laughters, words and love into her mind.

Still, Diana was too much of a person of action that she waited a mere three days to dial the number Peggy left her. She wanted to do something, maybe ask Peggy about the job she might had for her, or just walk around the city with her. She had flown through most of London city at night, but without someone in the know she couldn’t learn what she needed to know about the city. She made a pot of tea before her and dialled the number.

‘Hello, who is calling?’ A voice sounded enough like Peggy answered.

‘This is Diana Prince. Is this the Carter’s household?’ She asked, as she learnt from Etta about phone-calling etiquette.

‘Oh Miss Prince, sure. This is Peggy, is there something you need of me, or you would like to meet with me?’ Her tone turned a bit more cheerful as Diana revealed herself.

‘I would like to meet with you, where would you suggest?’

‘I think it’d be better if I pick you up, since I don’t know how much of London you’re familiar with for now. Actually…would you like a homemade meal? I could bring you to the market and buy food for lunch, if you wouldn’t mind coming to my humble abode? Wait…or is there a particular reason or thing you wanted to ask of me?’

‘Lunch sounds good. I didn’t want to do anything in particular, especially when I still need to know more about this world, Miss Peggy.’

‘Perfect. I’ll pick you up in an hour, is that alright?’

‘That works fine, thank you Peggy.’

‘No problem, I’ll see you then Miss Prince.’

‘Oh one more thing, you can call me Diana.’ There was a pause through the phone before Peggy answered.

‘See you, Diana.’ She was certain there was a hint of smile from Peggy when they hung up.

* * *

 

Diana was going to quietly finish her pot of tea while waiting for Peggy, yet her mind kept pacing and so did her body. She wasn’t sure how much she should reveal to Peggy about her power and who she really was. Steve had been easy, he was literally there with her the whole way. Surely she could tie Peggy up with the lasso and see what she’d answer about herself, but she still wouldn’t know how much trustworthy as a person without seeing her in action. Then again, if Peggy had already interrogated Doctor Poison and if she was as smart as Steve claimed, she would have known that she could fly and might have told Peggy about it already. Ultimately, she knew Steve would suggest her to keep it low first and that would always be the smart choice, yet the only reason she really wanted to share was because…she had been feeling too cut-off and lonely from everything. She knew, that she really wanted Peggy to be a good friend that she could depend on. Without Steve, or well anyone that was officially inside the government or army, she could not access the files on Peggy herself or that specific kind of official records.

She shook her head to herself and looked out the window to take a breath. While Antiope always taught her to be alert and sharp in battles, she had also taught her the art of quieting down and listen to her own heart. She picked up the cup of tea and took a sip before the window. For once, she prayed that she would find a friend in Peggy in time.

Once she was finished with the tea and rinsed the teapot and the cup, someone knocked on her door. She walked towards it, as she asked.

‘Who is it?’

‘It’s Peggy, Diana.’ The already familiar voice of Peggy rang through the door, as Diana swiftly opened it.

‘Shall we? I assume you’d be fine with walking, we could buy some fresh produce first?’

‘That sounds awesome.’ Diana quickly locked up and followed Peggy out to the street and market. She led her to a market just a few streets down from where she stayed and explained the different kinds of produce to her. Not that there was not any plantation in Themyscira, there were definitely not as much in variety. As they walked through the market and checked out different stalls, she could see most shop-owners would greet Peggy just as warmly as when she was just a little girl and how the rest of the Amazons would greet her. She had lost count of how many times Peggy had introduced her as her new friend, Diana to numerous passionate staff all around. In return, she shared a little of which vegetable and fruit was her favourite back in where she was from and those that she recognized. When one of the staff let them try some strawberries before deciding to buy some, the flavour and sweetness overflowing her mouth, she instinctively praised.

‘This is wonderful! You should be proud of…’ Only then she recalled the other time she said these word and paused. Luckily Peggy saved the day as she joined to ask to purchase the small box of strawberry and distracted the staff.

Only when they walked away from that particular stall that Diana spoke again.

‘Sorry, I was just thinking…’

‘It’s alright, my brother loved strawberries as well and it’s been forever since I had one.’ It was apparent from her smile that she understood and Diana received it in kind of how she used past tense in the mention of her brother. That made her willing to share a little more.

‘The last time I tasted something as amazing was an ice-cream cone bought on a train platform. Steve paid after I grabbed one. It was something I’ve never had and I told the seller that he should be proud of what he does.’

‘That sounds just about right for someone who tasted ice-cream for the first time, even in wartime. I think I screamed at my brother when he took the final bite of my ice-cream cone the first time my parents bought them for us.’ Peggy chuckled.

Diana felt warmth curling up from her stomach, it was her first time sharing this particular piece of memory involving Steve to someone else. They fell into comfortable silence, as Peggy led them away from the market and back to her place. Part of Diana’s mind went to remembering the way and the rest took in the relaxing scenery and all the details of different buildings. *

 

‘Here we are, welcome to my humble abode, my family’s to be exact.’ They stood before a cottage (description to be found later…fuck). Peggy noticed she slowed down in the doorway as she took in every detail inside the house, so she swiftly took away the shopping bags from Diana and settled them into the kitchen.

‘Hope you like the decoration here, though my mother isn’t around to be offended much if you dislike them.’ Her voice carried from the kitchen, only then Diana left the doorway and entered the kitchen.

‘I like the decoration, your home feels really…cozy. Please let your mother know that I appreciate them very much.’

‘She’d be so proud. You’d have met them but they decided to travel up north and get away from all the destruction around the city for a while. It was probably too much for them that right after my brother passed away in the war, I followed in his footstep for them to worry about me everyday through the rest of the war as well. It was high time for them to get away from all the grim reminder of what they lost.’ Peggy leaned against the counter, waiting for the kettle to boil. Diana followed suit as she leaned again the opposite side and listened. She liked it, hearing Peggy or anyone really talk about their lives and people who were important to them. She somehow felt more connected with humanity in this way.

‘I’m sorry for your family.’

‘Don’t be. If anything we’ve learnt from war or from my brother, it is that we chose our roads and as long as it was worthwhile, there is nothing to be sorry for. The only regret I have with my brother was I didn’t join the army sooner and might have the chance to serve alongside with him.’

‘Why did you join after him then?’

‘It’s a long story. You sure you want to hear me talk some more?’ Peggy smiled, as Diana examined through the tea selection on one of the glass cabinet.

‘I don’t mind. I still feel like someone on the outside and have not seen enough what this world is all like.’

‘Is there nothing you can share in return? Maybe a different way to slice up some tomatoes?’ Peggy pulled out a pot and a pan, pouring some hot water into the pot and settled the pan on the stove. She could hear the hint of curiosity in her words and giving her the full opportunity to turn down her questions.

‘I can definitely show you how we slice up tomatoes, if you can let me try some different tea?’ Diana stepped closer to the sink and picked up the tomatoes and spinaches, rinsed them for a few times before setting them on the chopping board and slicing them up with the knife Peggy already picked out. Peggy had turned her back and picked out a tea set and some tea behind her. She set the tea on the counter, then took out the fresh pasta they got earlier and threw them into the boiling pot.

‘When I was small, my…neighbours would greet me just like those people that greeted you in the market. They’d ask after my mother and what I’d up to that day. I used to sneak up to a hill and watched my people train. My mother hated me doing that, but my aunt secretly thought I should start training. She let me train with her at nights, or when my mother was otherwise occupied. Until one time I got wounded and my mother found out about those trainings.’ Diana still remembered the fear in her heart that day, afraid that her aunt would be punished and her mother would forbid everyone from teaching her.

‘What happened then? Also, throw a glove or two garlic in please.’ Peggy asked, as she stood beside her turning down the fire for the pasta and put the lid on. Diana hit the three gloves of garlic with the back of the knife before peeling them, then diced them up and put them into the pan which Peggy had already poured some oil in. She waited till the garlic was sizzling to pour in the tomatoes, with Peggy sprinkling just a little bit of salt and pepper in as well. It was like they automatically work in sync in the kitchen, despite the short time they had known each other.

‘Well I thought my mother was gonna be mad, and I guess she was. Yet, she asked my aunt to train me harder and harsher. From that day on, she went up a few notch for my training. For the first week or two, I almost wanted to beg mother to stop the training.’ She poured a little water into the pan, so the tomatoes could be well-cooked and spread its favour into the sauce.

‘What made you hold on?’ They both picked up the cup and sipped their tea, while they were waiting on the tomatoes to simmer on the pan and pasta to boil.

‘I went up to where I used to watch the others train and looked out to the ocean. I’ve always wanted an adventure and I knew unless I was trained to my mother and my aunt’s satisfaction, the chances of them ever granting me to venture out was even slimmer. I fell asleep on the hill that night. It was one of the best sleep I’ve gotten in my life and yet I woke at the break of dawn.’

‘So you were just as reckless then already?’ Peggy opened the cupboard above and took out two sets of utensils.

‘I wouldn’t say reckless, but considering…let’s just say I was focus on one thing and would let go of my surroundings.’ Again, Diana hesitated on how much she should reveal, even if just the fact that she was the only little girl on the island that would grow up.

‘That must have changed, or else I doubt your mother or your aunt would have let you onto the training field, less alone fighting in a real war.’ Peggy joked, as she drained out the pasta and slowly added them into the pan with Diana stirring it in at the perfect time.

‘My aunt trained me hard, harder than she trained with any other. At the time, I didn’t notice. I was just determined to get better and stronger. It was not until I…fought off one of her fiercest warriors and then herself that I came to think about how much more she trained with me.’ Diana continued her story after Peggy took over of the pan and spatula. She decided to still tell Peggy the truth, just not all the detail of it. As careful as she had learnt to be, she was no spy nor she liked lying by default.

‘Think you can help train me while we are still here in London? Not that I think they’d require much of my combat skills in the States, but…considering the fact that I don’t think you are a mere mortal among us, it might do me some good.’ Peggy turned off the fire and put the pasta into their plates, sitting on by one side of the table, smiling to her. She was hesitant to answer her, luckily she needed not to. She slowly pulled the chair out and sat opposite of Peggy.

‘Sorry about that…I do mean it about you training me some combat skills, if you want to. But I do think there are more I should confess to you before you can decide to trust me with your story.’ Still, Peggy continued without missing an ounce of confidence in her voice. Diana had to admit as she was weary of her companion’s constant uncertainty of…well her companionship.

‘Why don’t you tell me everything you have for me at once? You and I both know trust is not built on words and with me agreeing to meet you today, the least I wish is to have a friend in you as well. So we don’t need to keep tip-toe-ing on this and actually try to be friends?’ She snapped. Peggy looked as calm as she ever was, not even a little startled.

‘I should’ve guessed. Sorry…grief does mystery thing to my judgement. With my rank in the army, I do have access to Steve Trevor’s file after the war. I knew about his plane crashing when he escaped from the German. I knew he was supposed to be dead, but then miraculously returned with someone else. I knew he held the notebook from Doctor Poison and the military had no one able to translate the languages used in it. I knew the government called an end on his mission and the info he had. That was what I needed to know when we’ve taken Doctor Poison into prison. A few of my colleagues tried to interrogate her, but they either did not believe her or she refused to let out another word. So my superior decided to let me try, not stating why he thought it would work. So I read on every file I could find about her and that frontline, since it was not the frontline I served at, obviously. I read upon a report of Veld being wiped out, the only trace left was a weird spell lingering which made the reporting solder sick up until the moment they wrote the report. At the same time, there were reports on how the ‘No Men’s Land’ was broken the day before by a few unknown new forces. During the interrogation, Doctor Poison told me it was her gas at Veld. She told me they were planning on dropping it at the signing of the armistice. She told me somehow a team of four managed to break into their facility and blew up the plane filled with that gas. She told me she could only see fire and broken tanks all around her at the time. It was not until she saw…a woman wearing iron-like armour in red and blue, holding a tank above her head. She told me the woman looked like she was about to crash it on her, until the last moment she swung the tank over her instead. She then told me the woman was present in the grand ceremony set for the armistice as well, wearing a blue dress with a sword down her back. From that point on, it was obvious that Steve Trevor gathered a few people and acted on his own to stop Doctor Poison, the problem was only who would be able to walk through No Men’s Land, fought down a whole town and hold up a tank with her arms.’ Peggy only stopped at this point and took a sip of her tea.

‘You might want to keep eating while I keep on telling this long story. No point in wasting delicious warm food, right?’ She then took a forkful of pasta into her mouth, enough for Diana to follow her action as well.

‘Diana…you need to know, I was intrigued at that point, because as I know, there was no scientific experiment on that end of the war. Steve Rogers and Project Rebirth was something unique in the war. So I dug deeper, I mean what better than to work when sorrow could swallow you if you stop. I got a few friends whose network reaches where I would never be able to and caught wind of someone called Charlie and the Chief. My…friend knew enough of their background and told me they seemed determined to only tell the brief version of what happened. Well mostly, aside from Charlie drinking too much one night and spilled “She was like a Greek goddess…Steve said she was”. I still was only intrigued at that point, until I heard of Steve Trevor crashing in a plane as well and the fact that Etta remained in London for longer than what would be normal for a secretary unemployed and the apartment Steve rented was paid for another two months. By then, I…knew, or wishfully assume your relationship with Mr. Trevor was deeper than normal and maybe…someone would actually understand my own sorrow of losing someone called Steve as well. At this point, I would also say that without Steve…Rogers, it appears to be harder for me to find an anchor to be motivated. Maybe it is right that without an enemy, it is hard to focus on what you’re fighting for.’

Diana stopped with eating after Peggy’s first sentence really. It was too much to take in. She could understand every word, but there were still too much she had not gotten the full detail of how things worked in men’s world that she required her full attention. At least, she was lucky that she was no mere mortal, even in the learning department. Somehow, Peggy’s words reminded her of Steve. It was obvious to see how both of them possessed the quality to quickly digest information and formulate the best plan for their intentions, as well as being very resourceful without fully realising their charms on people. There were still so much for her to learn but she could trust the fact that Peggy was just as battle-scarred as she was, from all the loss, from seeing how hopeless and calculating and selfish people could get in wars and came out tried and doubtful of herself.

While she was processing all of what Peggy had told her, the woman herself had already finished half of her pasta, seemingly at ease to give time for her to think it through.

‘Why do you trust me then? From everything you said you know about me, aren’t you suspecting that I might be another experiment? If I am someone not from the military, why would you trust me with telling me all of your personal experiences?’ She needed somewhere to find how the two of them collide with each other. She had felt like she was merely someone listening to a person’s story for both times Peggy had met with her already. It took Peggy a few more moments to finish chewing the pasta in her mouth and took another sip of tea before answering her.

‘I am exhausted after the war, after everything. I am someone who trust their gut instincts with people. I know enough of Etta Candy, Charlie and the Chief to know they are no lovers of war. Worst case scenario for me is you are an Russian spy and thought my visit was the best shot to kill me, but considering I’m still on leave and have no information to provide, as well as the SSR would not mourn its loss of a female personnel. I think I am safe to tell you everything I just did. I just wanted a friend, or someone that can remind me why I am fighting in the first place. I lost my brother to the war, who had supported me in this ridiculous world against women. I lost my first true love, while he lost his best friend. I just don’t want to feel alone in this fight.’

She wondered if Peggy was conscious of crossing her arms while she spoke, protecting herself when she was being a little more vulnerable in front of her. Still, she felt a little more relieved with her words. She felt like there was more she could work with Peggy, even though they might both be lost with themselves.

‘Where I come from…we don’t know much about this world. We have been more than a little closed off from the world. It was a surprise when Steve’s plane crashed at our place. I was curious and somehow felt obligated to help him and his cause, so I went along with him. You are right to assume that Steve recruited them and I to get rid of the gases they were experimenting and planning to use. We made sure every last of it were gone from that base. Steve showed me that even though people would choose the wrong path more often than they choose the right one, it is what he believes that truly decide his course of action. Maybe no human deserves to be saved, but it is up to what I believe in ultimately. He gave me a reason to keep on fighting, but I do not know how to start. Without him, I do not have the ties required to be on the inside and I have to admit I am hoping you might agree to help me with that.’

Peggy’s eyes absolutely blinked in glee at her words.

‘In that case…why don’t you train in me combat and I teach you all about how human fight in wars? You definitely meet the right person for this.’ It seemed to be a relief for her that the two of them finally got something more solid to share. Diana had thought for a second that Peggy practically glowed at her mention of needing her help, maybe both of them just really needed something to throw themselves into work, just to keep their sorrow at bay.

‘I would love that.’ She grinned at her, taking a sip of her tea and surprised that it was all cold already. Peggy glanced at her plate once more and it was apparent that Diana had not touched much of her pasta, which had gone cold at this point.

‘Well…let’s heat up the pasta again before we figure out a schedule for you to train me and me to teach you.’ Diana could hear the excitement in her voice, as she let Peggy went ahead and took her plate of pasta thrown back into the pan and added just a bit of water to heat it up. She thought this would be a good start for them to share something. It truly had been a while since she properly train with anyone, this should be fun.


End file.
